Stacey, I will wait for you
by Phoenix-Flower92
Summary: oneshot songfic. Spud is waiting on Stacey


_I never felt nothing in the world like this before_

_Now I'm missing you and wishing you would come back through my door_

_Why did you have to go?_

_You could have let me know; so now I'm all alone_

His heart, wounded and achy, felt like it was bleeding inside his chest, the dark metallic liquid leaking into his stomach, nauseating him. He desired nothing more than to bang himself upside the head with his skateboard, to purposely fall on the ramp at the skate park and pray that he ended up with a concussion.

A concussion, yes. And maybe amnesia, oh yes. Then he wouldn't remember her. Wouldn't have the fainted clue who she was; know of the damage that she'd performed with a few common words.

_Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me._ Spud wanted to track down whomever it was that had created the saying and give him or her a lesson or two. He would have been more than happy to go through broken limbs than go through the emotional crisis t hat currently ate at him, gradually proving to be his demise.

The heartbroken teenager stood in the school hallway, pretending to be occupied at his locker. To passersby, he was simply rummaging through his disorganized belongings, through the thousands of paper stacks and books, possibly searching for a pen or a certain textbook. But to anyone who looked close enough, to anyone who cared enough to examine his actions movement by movement, it wasn't a book or a pen or a notebook he desired. No, more like a heart.

Out of the corner of his eyes, very slyly, secretly, carefully, he stared at her across the hall as she giggled with her cheerleading friends. She stood at her own locker, five lockers down from his on the opposite wall, applying makeup to her face, combing her beautiful blonde hair, making sure that her appearance was absolutely perfect and flawless.

But to him…she would always be perfect. Without makeup. Without the most adorable hairstyle. Without expensive clothes. Without being popular and without having popular friends. Without effort. Because she just was, in every possible way that she could be.

She wasn't some fantasy girl from his daydreams, not some Barbie doll that he drooled over for strictly looks (though she _was_, without a doubt, nice to look at). At first he'd contemplated the possibility, that perhaps it could be that…but then she'd given him a chance, allowed him in, and he'd known after that the truth. It wasn't just a crush. It was more than that…so much more than even Genius Spud couldn't describe the feeling, the emotions connected to it. It was bigger than him.

_Girl you could have stayed but you wouldn't give me a chance_

_With you not around it's a little bit more than I can stand_

_And all my tears they keep runnin' down my face_

_Why did you turn away?_

_So why does your pride make you run and hide_

_Are you that afraid of me?_

_But I know it's a lie what you keep inside_

_This is not how you want it to be_

She hadn't stated a reason for leaving, but Spud was no idiot, he knew. It pained him, stabbed him like a dull knife, but he knew and admitted it. They were too different. From two extremes, two cliques, and therefore they might as well have been from two different worlds. She had a reputation to maintain and couldn't risk at the time being of losing it. She, popular, a cheerleader, a goody-goody, could never associate with him and still live it down. He understood.

He could wait. Wait until popularity wasn't an issue, until an epiphany washed over her, until she realized what he could offer. Jake insisted for Spud to move on, that there were 'other fish in the sea' and that she wasn't 'the one'. It didn't matter how many times his friends told him this. He may have been young, but he didn't care how cheesy it sounded. He knew what his heart felt.

_So baby I will wait for you_

_Cause I don't know what else I can do_

_Don't tell me I ran out of time_

_If it takes the rest of my life_

_Baby I will wait for you_

_If you think I'm fine it just ain't true_

I really need you in my life 

_No matter what I have to do_

_I'll wait for you_

He walked past her locker several times every morning, but never once would she glance up or acknowledge him. Like he was no one. A ghost, invisible to the naked eye. Like he was nothing but oxygen, less than even the wall, which at least had the privilege of her attention. At least the wall had the honor of being criticized by her.

But him? She wouldn't so much as glare at him anymore. As if she'd forgotten what they'd shared. How they'd hide in the utility closet to talk and smile awkwardly and share fluffy memories and giggle like school kids in love. How she'd poured out the pressure her Mother forced upon her, pushing her towards fame and fortune when all she really wanted was to be happy.

To be happy…what ever happened to that?!

_Been a long time since you called me_

_(How could you forget about me)_

_You gotta be feeling crazy_

_How can you walk away_

_(When) Everything stays the same_

_I just can't do it baby_

_What will it take to make you come back_

_Girl I told you what it is and it just ain't like that_

_Why can't you look at me?_

_You're still in love with me_

_Don't leave me crying_

Reminiscing, his mind went back to the day she left. It'd been the shock of his life, a day he'd never forget. She'd written him a note, with ten words:

_Meet me in the utility closet after school_

_Love, Stacey_

It hadn't been an unusual note considering that they often met in that closet. He'd even blown off helping Jake out with some demon-creature thing for her, only to be left with a broken heart!

"If you gotta meet her, man, go, but yo, one of these days she might move on. Here what I'm sayin' Spud, I don't wanna see you hurt." Had been Jake's words. Spud could still hear them echoing in his mind. Had Jake known? Had those twins (he couldn't remember their names) tipped him off somehow?

He supposed it didn't really matter if Jake had known ahead of time. What had happened, had…well…happened. End of story.

He closed his eyes, and he was there, in the closet, waiting for her. He should have predicted that something was wrong when she arrived five whole minutes late.

"Hey Stace," he'd greeted her when at last she'd arrived.

A watery smile creased her features. "Spud, listen," she began hesitantly, "There's something I need to tell you…"

His insides had twisted uncomfortably at this. "What is it? What's wrong?"

She reached out, took a hold of his hands, and sighed. "I…I can't do this anymore. We can't go out anymore. Ever. I'm sorry."

"B—but…"

"I just can't. Please, just put this behind you. Forget about all of this. We never knew each other. I don't know your name, you don't know mine." At that, she let go of his hands and stormed out of the closet. Just like that.

Sure, she'd said she couldn't do it anymore—ever—but Spud refused to listen. There wasn't another girl for him. He would wait. He swore it to himself.

_Baby why can't we just start all over again_

_Get it back to the way it was_

_If you give me a chance I can love you right_

_But you're telling me it won't be enough_

_So baby I will wait for you_

_Cause I don't know what else I can do_

_Don't tell me I ran out of time_

_If it takes the rest of my life_

_Baby I will wait for you_

_If you think I'm fine it just aint' true_

_I really need you in my life_

_No matter what I have to do_

I'll wait for you 

The school bell rang, and she abruptly slammed her locker shut. So did he. As if suddenly he'd found whatever it was he'd been searching for. Stacey, hidden between a swarm of her friends, began walking to first period. He followed, several feet behind her, so as not to be suspicious. He almost wondered if he would be considered a stalker, even though his class _did_ happen to be in the same direction as hers.

_So why does your pride make you run and hide_

_Are you that afraid of me?_

But I know it's a lie what you're keeping inside 

_That is not how you want it to be_

Halfway to History class, Jake and Trixie met up with him.

"Spud, baby, you all right?" Trixie questioned immediately upon noticing his sad features.

"Yeah, Spud, you haven't been yourself lately. You're not still sick over Stacey, are you?"

"I'm…" Spud paused in mid-sentence. Should he tell them? Which would in turn worry them? And then there would be a lecture…"I'm okay." He lied.

"You sure?" Jake pressed, concerned.

"I've moved on. I'm thinking about taking a shot at one of the girls in my English class." He assured him.

"That's what I'm talking about, baby boy!" Trixie applauded.

"Yo, good for you!" Jake added with a grin.

Yes, Spud had moved on to the outside world. But on the inside, he was still grieving, bleeding, dying…waiting.

_Baby I will wait for you_

_Baby I will wait for you_

_If it's the last thing I do_

_Baby I will wait for you_

_Cause I don't know what else I can do_

_Don't tell me I ran out of time_

_If it takes the rest of my life_

_Baby I will wait for you_

_If you think I'm fine it just aint true_

_I really need you in my life_

_No matter what I have to do_

_I'll wait for you_

_I'll be waiting…_


End file.
